Diamond can be utilized as the dielectric support element in a capacitive information disc playback stylus. In order to decrease the cost of these playback styli, diamond bonded to shanks may be employed. A preferred shank material is titanium although other metals or materials such as plastic may be employed. Diamond may be bonded to the metal or other material by soldering, brazing, glueing or by any other method known to the art. A problem I have encountered in the cleaning of a diamond bonded to a titanium shank with a copper-silver braze occurs in the cleaning of the diamond surfaces. The diamond surfaces must be cleaned prior to deposition of a conductive metal layer.
Difficulties were encountered in cleaning because of the different chemistries of the shank, braze and diamond. The diamond surface must be cleaned of particles, metal such as iron and titanium, brazing materials, and other contaminants. The cleaning process must not damage the diamond, the shank material or the bond between the diamond and the shank. It is therefore required to have a method for cleaning a shanked diamond without adversely affecting the diamond, the shank, or the interface bonding the shank to the diamond.